Drain attachment



Feb. 14, 1967 5 G R 3,303,789

DRAIN ATTACHMENT Filed March 25, 1965 INVENTOR, ABEL F. GEISINGER United States Patent 3,303,789 DRAIN ATTACHMENT Abel F. Geisinger, 458 Molane Ave., Akron, Ohio 44313 Filed Mar. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 442,107 4 Claims. (Cl. 10387) This invention relates to a drain assembly and more particularly to an improved drain :for use with household plumbing, especially bathtubs.

In many bathtub drains, particularly those in residences, the flow of drain water is relatively slow so that not only is it irksome to wait for the bathtub to drain but also the slow rate of flow permits a build-up of deposit in the trap and drain pipes. This further reduces the flow and eventually in many instances causes complete stoppage thus necessitating a drain clearing operation.

In the usual residential installation there is insufiicient fall adjacent the outlet of the trap to carry the drain water away rapidly, since the head is insufiicient to overcome the resistance of the substantial length of the almost horizontal pipes. Most, if not all, building codes require that a trap be included as a part of the drain system which inherently impedes or slows down the flow. This invention contemplates that the increase of the flow of the water through the trap by an impeller will not only materially reduce the time required to drain the bathtub but also will prevent build-up of any deposit in the drain pipes. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and novel apparatus for use with a bathtub drain.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus that may be installed in present drains as well as incorporated in new installations. A further object of the invention is to provide means to materially reduce the time required for the water in a bathtub to drain therefrom.

These and other objects will become more apparent when read in conjunction with the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of the invention in operative position;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the invention;

'FIG. 3 is a section taken on 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a modfication of the invention.

In a typical use of the invention as seen in FIG. 1, a bathtub 1 having the usual drain 2 is connected to a trap 3 through the usual piping 4. In the case of a recessed tub 1 installation, the trap 3 in most instances is concealed behind the wall enclosing the end of tub 1 and as a result, is accessible usually through an access door or in a closet formed on the other side of the wall. The trap has a lid 5 screwed on to provide means for access for cleaning, and the drain water flows out of the trap through outlet opening 6 which is on the side of the trap 3 and above the inlet opening 7. The drain water from the bathtub must enter the trap 3 near the bottom and rise to flow out the outlet 6 through the piping (not shown) connected to the soil pipe. In many instances, this flows in over a substantial distance with very little fall so that draining of the bathtub is relatively slow.

In FIG. 2, trap 3 with bottom inlet 7 is shown with lid or cap 5 threaded into the top thereof. Mounted on the exterior of cap 5 is an electric motor 8 with shaft 9 extending through cap 5 into the interior of trap 3. Shaft 9 is preferably stainless steel or other corrosion resistant material. As shown threaded members 10 with spacers 11 engage the cap 5 and the end bell of the motor 8 to hold the motor in place. Preferably the motor 8 "ice should have a speed of at least 1750 r.p.m. but speeds up to 3500 r.p.m. will increase the performance of the invention. Motor 8 is connected to a source of electricity (not shown) and preferably controlled by a switch conveniently located for those using the bathtub.

Shaft 9 as shown passes through a sleeve 12 attached to the interior of cap 5. In order to provide lubrication for shaft 9 cap 5 and sleeve 12 may be recessed as at 13 to receive lubrication and packing material 14. The inner end of sleeve 12 may be threaded to receive nut 15 which holds an O ring 16 against the end of sleeve 12 to prevent drain water in trap 3 from escaping or causing shaft 9 to corrode in the sleeve.

On the lower end of shaft 9 an impeller 17 is attached with blades 18 pitched to force the water upwards as the impeller rotates. As seen in FIG. 3, impeller 17 has three blades 18, but any desired number of blades may be used. In order to retain the usual water seal of the trap 3 which prevents odors from the soil pipe escaping through the bathtub drain, preferably the impeller should be positioned as to leave a sufficient amount of water to cover the inlet of the trap.

The modification of the invention shown in FIG. 4 is particularly advantageous where there is insuflicient clearance directly above the trap 3 to receive the assembly shown in FIG. 2. A shaft 19 similar to shaft 9 extends into interior of trap 3 which as shown has a side inlet 20. Shaft 19 extends a short distance above cap 21 and has a pulley 22 attached thereto around which a belt 23 is trained. A motor 24 with pulley 25 mounted on shaft 26 is mounted at some convenient location adjacent trap 3 so as to provide rotation to shaft 19.

In operation of :the invention the motor is started at the time the drain to the bathtub is opened. The impeller urges the water in the trap to flow to and through the outlet at a much faster rate than that of the normal flow. The water also serves as a lubricant of the O ring at the inner end of the mounting sleeve. After the bathtub is drained, the motor may then be turned off. The more rapid flow of the water through the trap not only materially decreases the time to drain the tub but also maintains the piping in a much cleaner condition, thus reducing or eliminating stoppage or slow down of the drain.

While certain representative embodiments and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An improved trap and drain assembly for use with a plumbing system between the plumbing fixture and the drain comprising a vertically extending fluid receiving chamber, an inlet opening adjacent the bottom of said chamber, an outlet opening on the side of said chamber above the inlet opening, the diameter of said inlet and outlet openings being substantially less than that of the fluid receiving chamber and the openings being connected to the fixture and drain respectively, a cover adapted to seal the top of said chamber, a shaft rotatably mounted on said top and extending vertically therethrough into said chamber, an impeller attached to said shaft with the impeller being positioned above the bottom of the chamber, and power means to rotate said shaft and impeller whereby faster flow of fluid through the drain and trap is effected with sufficient fluid remaining in the bottom of said chamber to effect a fluid seal between the inlet and outlet openings.

2. An improved trap assembly for use in a bathtub drain comprising a drain trap with an inlet opening adja- 3 cent the bottom for connection to the bathtub drain and an outlet opening on the side and above said inlet opening for connection to the drain the inlet and outlet openings being of substantially less diameter than that of the trap, a cover to close the top of the trap above the bottom thereof and, an impeller in said trap attached to a shaft extending through said cover, and means exteriorly of said trap to rotate said impeller to increase the flow of drain water through said trap to thereby materially reduce the time required to drain water from the bathtub with sufficient drain water always remaining in the trap to effect a water seal between the inlet and outlet openings.

'3. A trap assembly as claimed in claim 2 in which said 5 of said trap for engagement through a belt with a motor for rotating said shaft.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1935 Bothezat 230123 2,617,669 11/1952 Ruthman et a1. 103-87 X ROBERT M. WALKER, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN IMPROVED TRAP AND DRAIN ASSEMBLY FOR USE WITH A PLUMBING SYSTEM BETWEEN THE PLUMBING FIXTURE AND THE DRAIN COMPRISING A VERTICALLY EXTENDING FLUID RECEIVING CHAMBER, AN INLET OPENING ADJACENT THE BOTTOM OF SAID CHAMBER, AN OUTLET OPENING ON THE SIDE OF SAID CHAMBER ABOVE THE INLET OPENING, THE DIAMETER OF SAID INLET AND OUTLET OPENINGS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THAT OF THE FLUID RECEIVING CHAMBER AND THE OPENINGS BEING CONNECTED TO THE FIXTURE AND DRAIN RESPECTIVELY, A COVER ADAPTED TO SEAL THE TOP OF SAID CHAMBER, A SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID TOP AND EXTENDING VERTICALLY THERETHROUGH INTO SAID CHAMBER, AN IMPELLER ATTACHED TO SAID SHAFT WITH THE IMPELLER BEING POSITIONED ABOVE THE BOTTOM OF THE CHAMBER, AND POWER MEANS TO ROTATE SAID SHAFT AND IMPELLER WHEREBY FASTER FLOW OF FLUID THROUGH THE DRAIN AND TRAP IS EFFECTED WITH SUFFICIENT FLUID REMAINING IN THE BOTTOM OF SAID CHAMBER TO EFFECT A FLUID SEAL BETWEEN THE INLET AND OUTLET OPENINGS. 